I have in no way done justice to Paul and the book of Romans.
There are sixteen (16) chapters in the book of Romans, and I have quoted four (4) verses.
Romans is the longest book that the apostle Paul wrote, that is why it is first (1st) book in the Bible … that is how his writings are arranged … not chronologically but instead by length.
Take the time and READ the entire book for yourself, it is more than worth it.
Jesus CHOSE the apostle Paul to teach this entire world. So, we are going to begin this weeks lesson in Romans 1.
We are told in Acts 9:15 that Jesus CHOSE Saul of Tarsus to teach us what He wants for us to know.
Acts 9:15
‘…But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…The Lord said to Ananias, Go! I have chosen him to tell foreigners, kings, and the people of Israel about me…’ CEV (Contemporary English Version)
‘…But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel…’ ESV (English Standard Version)
‘…The Lord said to him, Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…But the Lord said to Ananias, Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel…’ NIV ( New International Version)
‘…But the Lord said, Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel…’ NLT (New Living Translation)
I can find no reason why this verse has been missed by millions of people that make-up the body of Christendom, except by putting the blame entirely on Satan himself, he doesn’t want this world to see the truth.
God gave us all an informative message in His Word that speaks about false messages, false teachers and itching ears.
2 Timothy 4:3 ‘…For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear…’ NIV (New International Version)
For just a moment, just look at all of the man-made religions around where you live.
The majority of the religions today don’t even open the Bible anymore during their Sunday morning services.
If the Bible is even opened, most times it is opened to the wrong message for us today in the 21st century.
God CHOSE to offer Salvation to the Gentiles in the book of Acts.
God CHOSE for a single man to teach this world what He wants for us ALL to know.
The apostle Paul wrote 13 epistles that were to teach this world.
Satan was able to get mankind to look in a different direction, instead of looking where God wanted us to look.
It is up to those of us that have found the correct Message to EDIFY this world and try to redirect those that are lost.
It is difficult.
I tell people to OPEN up their own Bibles and READ the words that God wants for us to HEAR.
And once again, it is difficult … it’s very, very hard.
Maybe one of the more powerful verses found in the Bible is in 1 Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 ‘…Pray without ceasing…’ AKJV
Just our communication with God can direct us to the path that He wants for us to take.
Thank God for what He has given you.
Ask Him for the strength to show others the way.
When I pray to Him, and I pray throughout every day, I ask that He’d use me where He needs me.
I ask that He’d allow me to voice what others need to HEAR.
Here is a verse I wear in my memory:
Ephesians 2:8 ‘…For by GRACE are ye saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God…’ AKJV
I do not care if you are 1 or if you’re 101 … EVERY human being loves to get a GIFT.
Even to that person out there that does not believe that God is real … there is a GIFT there waiting for you to open.
If a person can believe that God is not real … then it is possible for that same person to believe that God IS real.
All it takes is FAITH and faith is believing.
God, in His GRACE, He has given us a GIFT and all we have to do is believe.
We have to have the FAITH to accept it.
We have got to take our eyes off what we think other people are doing and thinking and we need to keep our eyes solely on Him. We are only capable of controlling what we, ourselves do. Keep our focus on Jesus so we will be able to keep ourselves strong so others can see Him, through us.
In Romans 1, the apostle Paul begins His book almost as if He is praying to God, thanking Him for everything that he had been given. We should do the same thing.
We should thank God for our health. Someone out there may claim they are sick, they are in need, all I can tell you is today, right now at this moment, you are alive and you have been given the opportunity to take ahold of Him … GRAB ONTO JESUS.
There may be some that will claim they don’t have enough, they are going to lose everything … all I can tell you is that if you have Jesus in front of you, if you can clearly see His image, there is nothing more in this life that you really need.
Satan is trying to keep you down; he is trying to keep you without.
But always remember, GOD HAS A GIFT WAITING FOR YOU, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TAKE IT.
Romans 1:16 ‘…For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek…’ AKJV
This Gospel of Christ is not found in Matthew, Mark, Luke or John (MMLJ), Jesus is alive in 99% of those writings.
The Gospel of Christ is found in 1 Corinthians 15.
1 Corinthians 15
vs1 ‘…Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand…’
vs2 ‘…by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain…’
vs3 ‘…For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures…’
vs4 ‘…and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures…’ AKJV
Jesus gave up His life so that we could live.
Speak up and let others know what you have heard.
Help EDIFY those around you.
Later in this book of Romans is a powerful verse.
Romans 10:9 ‘…that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved…’ AKJV
Confess means to admit, to tell, or to make known.
EDIFY
Here are some other writings taken from the book of Romans.
Romans 14:19 ‘…Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another …’ AKJV
Romans 15:2 ‘…Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification…’ AKJV
TEACH others what you have learned. SHARE with others the truth that you have seen.
Next, I have found a writing, that was written on google.com, that explains to us, what is the number one focus found in the Book of Romans.
The primary point of the book of Romans is the Gospel of God – specifically. That God’s righteousness is a free gift of salvation available to everyone (both Jews and Gentiles) who trusts in Jesus. It is Paul’s systematic explanation that all humanity is hopelessly trapped by sin but can be justified solely through faith, not by human effort or the law.
Paul is trying to get this world to take their eyes off of ALL the different man-made religions found throughout this world today. These man-made religions, that for generations, has kept this world hostage and penned up in nothing but repeated lies.
Lies that allowed for their pockets to be filled but for our souls to be left empty.
God gave us His Word so we could find out the truth.
ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS OPEN THE COVERS OF HIS WORD AND READ OF THE TRUTH FOR OURSELVES.
I would like to offer you the opportunity to join me in my pursuit to FOLLOW Jesus in His FOOTSTEPS.
To walk down the trail that He has left behind for each one of us to FOLLOW.
There is no reason for us to break new trails to find Jesus, all we have to do is FOLLOW His Word and allow Him to GUIDE us in the right direction.
THE DIRECTION THAT HE WANTS US TO FOLLOW.
Allow me to invite you to join me in my pursuit to FOLLOW in Jesus’ footsteps.
I love ALL of y’all.
Here is a reading plan I’d like to suggest for the one searching to find God in the 21st century:
Day 1 – Galatians 1-6, 1Thessalonians 1-5
Day 2 – 2Thessalonians 1-3, 1Corinthians 1-8
Day 3 – 1Corinthians 9-16
Day 4 – 2Corinthians 1-13
Day 5 – Romans 1-10
Day 6 – Romans 11-16, Philippians 1-4
Day 7 – Colossians 1-4, Ephesians 1-6
Day 8 – Philemon 1, 1 Timothy 1-6, Titus 1-3, 2Timothy 1-4
Day 9 – Acts 1-7
Day 10 – Acts 8-13
Day 11 – Acts 14-20
Day 12 – Acts 21-28
The entire Bible, ALL SCRIPTURE has been given to us by God (2TIM3:16), but NOT ALL Scripture has been meant for us ALL to follow … we are told we MUST know how to RIGHTLY DIVIDE the truth of God (2TIM2:15).
We get that ‘know how’ by continuously reading His Word, by studying what is written in our Bibles.
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